Kevin " the Savage" Stanley

 Well, I knew he was going to be a fair savage when I first saw Kevin at a K Capital Cup race..he had that intense look about him and he definitely had " the power"..it was a shortlived bromance as he abandoned EPIC and joined IMBRC ..I'm not bitter though..no not one bit !!
Anyway...hes after shaking up the Continuity Elites this year , I mean Masters !!  the rest of you crusty old timers better up your game ..Number 1 in the Continuity Elites is no easy achievement..

Name Kevin Stanley

Club IMBRC

Category Masters

Years racing 1 year sports, 1 year experts, started in masters this year

Best result - Not necessarily highest result winning the K Capital cup in sports. The win was a massive encouragement to move up catagory and push harder
Bike KTM/Giant
Favourite Trail/ Race/ Biking Destination Djouce is probably a hot spot for me, it has a bit of everything

Oscar " Brad" Mcananey

 Hey girls and guys, Oz is an equal opportunities Sex symbol..as a rider hes one the tidiest, slick XCers out there , I'm expecting a great result from him in Djouce , its his crucible !!
Anyway hes so handsome he wouldn't give me a photo
so he only has himself to blame !

Name

 

Oscar Mac Ananey

 

Club

 

EPIC MTB

 

Category

 

Master(bater)s

 

Years racing

 

3 or 4

 

Best result - Not necessarily highest result

 

2008 XC Nationals in Kilruddeadlyery......caught Tim the monster

 

Bike

 

Essential

 

Favourite Trail

 

Anything off-camber in Djouce. Ticknock when its dry. Cathedral loop in Sedona Arziona and Amazabak in Moab Utah.

 

Race

 

Kilruddery/Castlewellan

 

 

Biking Destination

 

Arizona.....Sedona & Flagstaff......Wicklow when its warm and dry is hard to beat

Darragh " Beast " Smith

Here we go..he could win Masters, if he stayed away from the large Bulmers, the 2kgs of Ben & Jerrys and the Nekkid sexy dancing ladies. Hes come along way since he was the big boned kid i used to see doing doughnuts on an AR80 in the middle of Walkinstown Roundabout

Daragh Smith

Epic MTB

Master

2^nd Year

3^rd in the Sports nationals 2009 or 15^th in the 2009 Blast

Specialized S-works HT, Giant XTC Advaced SL, Specialized Enduro Comp.

Wocca’s/ Roc d’zur/ Roc d’zur

Beth McCluskey

The undisputed Queen of the XC race Circuit its Beth McCluskey..savage international rider, Celebrity Chef and lovely girl !!
My money is on her to win this year ..its her home track sort of ish!!


Name Beth McCluskey

Club EPIC

Category Masters

Years racing 12

Best result - Not necessarily highest result  National medallist and champion a couple of time over the last few years, CLEC winner & runner up a few times, Irish mountain running champion, Rode the European & World champs and a few world cups back in the day! World Masters XC bronze medallist 2008 & 2009.
Bike 2008 Giant XTC Carbon

Favourite Trail/ Race/ Biking Destination anywhere in Ireland when the trails are dry and the sun is shining, the Alps in summer, or gran canaria in winter.

Joe " The living legend" McCall

well what can i say about Joe mcCall...apart from the fact that I hope he wins..i'll be honest..a battle royale between himself and Robin for the title in Djouce would be the ultimate gladiator contest. But Robin has quit to become a male model along with Jamie Popham and Craig Brady..so what can I expect now..Conor mcConvey told me no, maybe, no..but I might change his mind..you never know..

But Joe..i have known him since he was a spotty kid , reading science books and avoiding girls..but..on the singletrack...he was in the first Holy trinity of Seymour, Pennefather and McCall..3 giants and the guys who set the stage for singletrack mastery...because at the end of the day..to be able to flick yourself along off camber roots and slow down time and warp the laws of nature..thats what it s all about ! And Joe is the ultimate practitioner..

Before Joe came along..singletrack just waited to be discovered !!

 

Heres Joes Profile in his own words !

Name
Joe McCall
 

Club
Focus MTB
 

Category
Male
 

Years racing
386

Best result - Not necessarily highest result

Egg and spoon, 4th class. 53rd worlds 1997. 23rd Epic club race # 2, 2010.

Bike
Focus Raven Extreme.
Focus Super Bud Team

 

Favourite Trail/ Race/ Biking Destination

Gotta be Djouce & 3 rock for local trail riding. Gran Canaria cause its
amazing in the winter. Roc D'Azur cause of the end of season racing &
craic.

The First Lady of Mountainbiking !! Shona D'Arcy

Well I'm sorry Beth,Mel, Jenny, Ciara,Tarja..the first lady of XC racing has to be Shona...shes a Ginger like all legendary Celtic Mountainbikers !! though Beth could qualify as well ..feck it, i've dug the hole so i'll keep shovelling !
What can I say about Shona..shes the daughter I never had !!
The first time we met her, Cooper snapped her bike !!! Skippy had to go home to Roundwood and get her a loaner..but I knew straight away she was going to be supereydoopery !!! Her and Mel are the only females brave enough to tackle Byrners bastards and retain their beauty !!

Name; Shona D'Arcy

Club; Epic

Category;Elites

Years racing; 2

Best result - Not necessarily highest result; 10th experts, Slade Valley nps

Bike; Giant XTC

Favourite Trail/ Race/ Biking Destination; Djouce

James McCluskey

Heres James McCluskey..well now..I remember him from Kamikaze MTB Club..he even did a few early freeridey style spins with me, Murphy and Sean...he'll deny that for some reason, which is stupid , as people will never cop on that the greatest mountainbiker in ireland ever is Bruce Murphy !!! No joke..but this is Jimbos moment !!  What can I say about James..hes done it all, nearly since the beginning, XC, DH even Cyclobore !!

Name:James McCluskey

Club:IMBRC

Category:Masters

Years racing:17 Years (there was a few lean ones though)

Best result - Not necessarily highest result: 7th in the world masters in Praloup in 2007.  The course had my name on it long super steep climbs and fast flowy single track decents.  Such a buzz with my all the Irish cheering me on, sunshine and dusty trails the best days racing I’ve ever had.

Bike:Mmm I have few bikes:-), race bike is a Giant Anthem, 80mm travel front and rear.  Low down stretched out sticks to the trails like glue.  I also race my Orbea Alma a lot, it’s not as tricked out but it will go fast if you push it.  I reckon an Epic course in Djouce will need a full suss but who knows?

 
Favourite Trail:  I’ve loads, in Ireland it the secret trail which I can’t tell you about!  The best spin in the world could be the Col de la Lauze from Clavière on the French/Italian boarder. Amazing climb singletrack decent through Telly Tubbie Land, divine MTB.

Favourite Race: I used to love the old course in Ballinastoe, Castlewellan is great too, got to be in good shape to enjoy both. 

Favourite Biking Destination: France or Italy a question that as troubled mountain bikers for centuries!  I would say France purely because they know how to put on a good event.